The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 290-291
Boone

CARROLL LEWIS VICKERS. There is a class of men who, in
their own communities, are naturally accorded leadership
in public and private enterprises. This sovereignty is con-
ferred by popular recognition of superlative ability. Varied
talents adapt these few men to captain enterprises of a
varied nature. In this class is found Carroll Lewis Vickers,
a civil and mining engineer of Huntington, who has won
a high place in his profession and has contributed to the
success of various enterprises. Mr. Vickers was born at
Madison, Boone County, West Virginia, December 3, 1882,
and is a son of Lewis F. and Alice T. (Powell) Vickers.

John Vickers, the grandfather of Carroll Lewis Vickers,
was born in Virginia, and died in Boone County, Virginia
(now West Virginia), in 1845. He came to the Kanawha
Valley when he was still a young man, and later became a
pioneer into Boone County, where he engaged in agricultural
operations and became an extensive and prosperous agricul-
turist. He married a Miss Cunningham, who was born in
Virginia and died in what is now Boone County, this state.

Lewis F. Vickers was born September 10, 1837, in Boone
County, where he was reared, educated and married. As a
young man he became one of the pioneer school teachers of
the rural districts, and later was elected and served two
terms in the capacity of county superintendent of schools.
Continuing in this calling, he became one of the dis-
tinguished educators of the state, and when he retired, in
1901, went to his pleasant home at Madison, West Virginia,
where he now lives. Mr. Vickers is a stanch democrat, and
during the early days served as deputy sheriff and deputy
County Court clerk of Boone County. He is a veteran of
the war between the states, in which he fought as a soldier
of the Confederacy, serving through the entire struggle as a
member of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Virginia Volunteer
Infantry. He participated in the battle of Winchester, was
at Fort Donelson, and took part in many lesser engagements
and skirmishes. In the battle of Cloyd ‘s Mountain, Vir-
ginia, he was wounded severely, being shot through the face
and right arm. His commanding officers were General Mc-
Causland, of West Virginia, and Gens. John C. Breckinridge
and John B. Floyd. Mr. Vickers married Miss Alice T.
Powell. who was born in 1854, at Madison, Virginia (now
West Virginia), and died at Madison in 1905. They became
the parents of the following children: A son who died in
infancy; John, who met death in an accident when only
five years of age; and Carroll Lewis.

Carroll Lewis Vickers attended the public schools at
Madison, West Virginia, but the greater part of his instruc-
tion was given him by his father, under whom he received
a splendid preparatory education. He left public school at
the age of twenty years and pursued a business course at
the Massey Business College, Richmond, Virginia, from
which he was graduated in 1902. It was at that time that
he took up engineering, subscribing to a course in civil en-
gineering with the International Correspondence school of
Scranton, Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1906, but in the
meanwhile had started getting the practical experience as a
rodman with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in 1904, and
continued with them until 1907. From 1907 to 1909 he was
employed by the Jefferson Coal Company of Cleveland, Ohio,
as an engineer, and was next with the United States Coal
and Oil Company of Holden, West Virginia, from 1909 to
1911, in the capacity of assistant engineer. His next posi-
tion was that of chief engineer for the Yawkey & Freeman
Coal Company and the Big Creek Development Company,
with headquarters at New York City. the metropolis being
the scene of his activities until 1916, when he formed a
partnership with G. K. Allman at Huntington, the firm style
being Allman & Vickers, civil and mining engineers. This
association was dissolved by Mr. Allman’s death in May,
1921, at which time Mr. Vickers took over Mr. Allman’s
interests. He has continued to carry on the business on his
own account, and has built up one of the largest and most
substantial enterprises of its kind in the State of West
Pritchard Building, Huntington. Mr. Vickers is secretary
Virginia. His offices are situated at 1005-6-7 Robson
and treasurer of the Goodby branch of the By-Products
Coal Company of Huntington, with mines at Chapmanville,
Logan County.

On September 25, 1903, at Madison, West Virginia, Mr.
Vickers was united in marriage with Miss Hattie M. Hager,
daughter of John B. and Mary (Cook) Hager, the latter of
whom is now deceased. Mr. Hager is one of the prominent
attorneys practicing at the Madison bar. Mrs. Vickers died
in February, 1921, leaving three children: Clifford S., born
July 21, 1905, a student at the Huntington High School;
Paul C., born September 8, 1914, who is attending the
graded school; and Ruth, born February 21, 1917.

Biographical Sketches of Members of Congress, Members of the Legislature,
Officers of the State Governement and judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals,
West Virigina, 1917

Source:
West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1917,
Compiled and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate,
The Tribune Printing Co., Charleston, West Va.
pgs. 719 – 770

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

pg. 732

Members of the House of Delegates.

CABELL, CHARLES. (Democrat.) Address: Alum
Creek, West Va. Born in Madison, Boone county, April
3 1862; received his education in the local schools; sub-
sequently removed to Lincoln county; is a farmer and mer-
chant by occupation; at present is engaged in merchandis-
ing at Alum Creek, Kanawha county; was elected to the
House of Delegates in November, 1916, as a representative
from the county of Lincoln, and during the regular and
extraordinary sessions of the Legislature of 1917 was as-
signed to and served on standing committees of the
House as follows: Railroads, Game and -Fish, State
Boundaries.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 119

EDGAR W. SMOOT, M. D., one of the skilled physicians
and surgeons, and a member of the staff of the Danville
Hospital and a veteran of the World war, is specializing
with remarkable success in children’s diseases, with offices
at Madison. He was born in Boone County, March 29,
1870, a son of Daniel and Mary Alice (Atkins) Smoot,
both of whom were born in West Virginia. Doctor Smoot
comes of English and Dutch descent, the Smoot family be-
ing an old one in Virginia and the Atkins family is also
prominent in Virginia.

D. J. Smoot, son of William and Martha Smoot, was
born near Ballardsville, Logan County, Virginia, now Madi-
son, West Virginia, November 10, 1843, and died February
7, 1918. He served in the Confederate Army in the com-
pany known as the Logan Wildcats, was at Appomattox
when Lee surrendered, and received an honorable discharge,
which he prized very highly. He married Mary Alice At-
kins on January 17, 1867. To this union were born five
children, three sons and two daughters: W. W. Smoot, of
Danville, West Virginia; Dr. E. W. Smoot, of Madison,
West Virginia; D. A. Smoot, of Danville, West Virginia;
Mrs. W. W. Hall, of Stallings, West Virginia; and Mrs. M.
J. Hopkins, of Sumner, Ohio. There are nine grandchil-
dren. Mr. Smoot was a democrat in politics, always active
in support of the principles in which he believed, and was
twice elected clerk of the County Court of Boone County.
He was a member of the Baptist Church, having united
with that organization thirty-five years ago, and lived a con-
sistent Christian life. He belonged to the Order of Odd
Fellows, American Mechanics and Improved Order of Red
Men. He is survived by his wife and children, all of whom
were with him at his death.

>From childhood Doctor Smoot possessed the ambition to
fit himself for the medical profession, and in order to ob
tain the money necessary for his long courses first pre
pared himself for that of teaching by supplementing his
common-school training with two terms at the State Nor-
mal School at Athens, West Virginia. There he took a gen-
eral academic course and secured his teacher’s certificate.
For four years he taught school in Boone County, and
then, going to Louisville, Kentucky, took up the study of
medicine at the Kentucky School of Medicine, from which
he was graduated in 1897 with the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. Immediately thereafter he established himself in
a general practice at Madison, Boone County. Becoming
interested in that branch of his profession which deals with
children’s diseases, he did post-graduate work in Louisville
in 1899, and again in that city about 1909, and is now spe-
cializing on the subject, although he still conducts his gen-
eral practice, his former patients being unwilling to dis-
pense with his services.

During the late war Doctor Smoot enlisted in the Medi-
cal Corps and was stationed in the Embarkation Hospital
at Newport News, with the rank of first lieutenant. Here
he spent seven months, receiving his honorable discharge
in December, 1918, but was almost immediately stricken,
was taken to Charleston, West Virginia, where he remained
until July, 1919, when his health was sufficiently regained
for him to return home.

In 1913 Doctor Smoot married at Charleston, West Vir-
ginia, Miss Rosalie Zinn, a daughter of James B. Zinn, of
Spencer, West Virginia. Mr. Zinn and his wife were both
born in West Virginia. He is a stone mason and farmer.
Doctor and Mrs. Smoot have no children. He belongs to
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of
Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Fraternal
Order of Eagles. With the exception of three years in the
coal fields of Blair and the period of his war service Doc-
tor Smoot’s professional life has been spent at Madison,
and his is a familiar figure in Boone County. Both as a
physician and personally he has won the warm friendship
of all classes, and is recognized as a skillful practitioner
and an expert in his specialty. As a citizen he has never
shirked his duty, but striven to give to his community a
loyal service, and has always placed his professional skill
and knowledge at the disposal of the officials whenever
necessary. He is an honor to his calling and his state, and
there are many of the veterans of the World war, now
scattered all over the country, who have cause to remember
with grateful appreciation his efficient service at the time
this country was at war.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 127

LOUIS F. ECHOLS. Some of the most representative men
and solid citizens of Boone County are devoting their time
and using their energies in behalf of agricultural activities,
in this way not only earning a fair competence for them-
selves, but rendering a service to the country in the pro-
duction of raw materials and increasing the prestige of
this region. One of these men thus prosperous and use-
ful is Louis F. Echols, owner of a valuable farm near Madi-
son, and county assessor.

Louis P. Echols was born in Craig County, Virginia, in
March, 1866, a son of G. A. and Cartha (Atkins) Echols,
the former of whom came of Irish stock, and the latter of
Dutch ancestry. The paternal grandfather settled in Giles
County, Virginia, at an early day. Both G. A. Echols and
his wife were born in Virginia, where they were married.
When Louis F. Echols was about one year old they moved
to West Virginia, settling in Boone County. G. A. Echols
was a farmer and also did contract coal hauling from the
mines before the construction of the railroads. He was
very active in church work and was an elder of the Chris-
tian denomination.

Reared in Boone County, Louis F. Echols attended its
common schools, and when only sixteen years old began
working at making molasses in what was then a new way.
The first evaporators that were installed in the county
were set up on the Echols farm. Mr. Echols was also en-
gaged in farming, and then went into the coal mines, where
he remained for three years. His attention was then turned
to the lumber and timber business, and for twenty-eight
years, or until 1920, he owned and operated a portable
saw-mill, and did logging and sawing. All of this time,
however, he was also engaged in farming, and is still con-
ducting his valuable farm, on which he makes his home.
His operations as a farmer are of such magnitude as to
make him a leader in this important industry.

In 1918 Mr. Echols was elected a member of the board
of education, but resigned that position when, in 1920, he
was elected county assessor, as, according to the state law,
a man can hold but one public office. His work in connec-
tion with his present office is of such a character as to
place him among the very efficient men to serve in this capacity,
and the record he is making is an enviable one in
every respect.

Mr. Echols married in November, 1893, Miss Viola Long,
at Rock Creek, Boone County. She is a daughter of John
and Frances Long, the former of whom, a native of Ire-
land, came to the United States in young manhood, and
subsequently located in West Virginia, where Mrs. Echols
was born. Her mother was also a native of this state. Mr.
and Mrs. Echols became the parents of eight children.
Eva, the eldest, married Siegel Workman, of Madison, who
is United States marshal for the Southern Judicial Dis-
trict. At one time he served as assistant cashier in the
Madison Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Workman have one son,
Siegel Workman, Junior. Ezra Echols, the second child,
married Lora Lilly, at Madison, and they have one son,
Thomas George Echols. Bessie, the third child, married
Harry Humphrey, who is deputy county assessor under his
father-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey have one daughter,
Betsy Ann. Jesse, Edgar and Celeste are unmarried and
at home. There were two children who died young. Both
Ezra and Jesse Echols served in the World war, the for-
mer being overseas for eighteen months. Mr. Humphrey
was also in the service, so that the Echols family was well
represented in the late war. The family all belong to the
Christian Church. Fraternally Mr. Echols maintains mem-
bership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
the Improved Order of Red Men. From the day he cast
his first ballot Mr. Echols has been zealous in behalf of the
republican party, and is a recognized leader of the local
forces. His career has not been spectacular, but his prog-
ress has been steady, and for a long time he has held the
position in his community to which his ability and accom-
plishments entitle him. His name has long stood for effi-
ciency and uprightness, and his advocacy of any move-
ment stamps it as one worth favorable consideration.

Biographical Sketches of Members of Congress, Members of the Legislature,
Officers of the State Governement and judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals,
West Virigina, 1917

Source:
West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1917,
Compiled and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate,
The Tribune Printing Co., Charleston, West Va.
pgs. 719 – 770

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

741

JONES, LUTHER RAYMOND. (Republican.) Ad-
dress: Bald Knob, West Va. Representative from Boone
county. Born at Sheridan, Lincoln county. West Virginia
June 18, 1892; was educated in the public schools the
Fairmont State Normal and the Lebanon (Ohio) Univer-
sity; a teacher by profession. Mr. Jones has done much
to introduce advanced methods. Before becoming a
teacher, he had a varied experience as a fanner miner
and sailor. Elected to the House of Delegates in 1916;
in the session of 1917 he served on the following com-
mittees: Humane Institutions and Public Buildings
Arts, Sciences and General Improvement.

Biographical Sketches of Members of Congress, Members of the Legislature,
Officers of the State Governement and judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals,
West Virigina, 1917

Source:
West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1917,
Compiled and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate,
The Tribune Printing Co., Charleston, West Va.
pgs. 719 – 770

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

pg. 724

GODBEY, MARTIN VAN BUREN. (Republican.)
Born in Raleigh county, December 19,1879; educated in the
public schools, at Marshall College and at Grant Univer-
sity; a physician and surgeon; received the degree of M. D.
from Maryland Medical College; elected to the House of
Delegates from Boone county in 1908; a member of the State
Board of Health 1909-13; elected to the State Senate in 1914,
from the Eighth District; in 1917 had the following commit-
tee assignments: Forestry and Conservation (Chairman);
To Examine the Clerk’s Office (Chairman); Railroads, Insur-
ance, Mines and Mining, Medicine and Sanitation, Public
Printing, Rules, Virginia Debt. Appointed Chief Medical Ex-
aminer of the Workmen’s Compensation Fund, May 1,1917.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 126-127

WILLIAM F. HARLESS, M. D. Skilled physician, efficient
business man and good citizen. Dr. William F. Harless, of
Clothier, is one of the representative men of Boone County,
and no one stands any higher in public opinion than he.
He was born near Spencer, Roane County, West Virginia,
October 4, 1881, a son of William H. and Frances (Keifer)
Harless. The Harless family was established in this coun-
try by Doctor Harless’ great-grandfather, a native of Ger-
many, who settled in Virginia, and it was in that state that
the grandfather was born. The Keifers were also of Ger-
man extraction. Both William H. Harless and his wife were
born in West Virginia, and he is a farmer of Roane County,
and a man of some importance in his home community, hav-
ing served on the school board, as a county commissioner,
as a deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in
other capacities, and he is a prominent member of the In-
dependent Order of Odd Fellows.

After completing his studies in the common schools of his
native county Doctor Harless went through the Spencer
High School. His professional training was taken at the
University of Louisville, Kentucky, and he was gradu-
ated therefrom in 1908, with the degree of Doctor of Medi-
cine. Immediately thereafter he established himself in a
general practice at Clothier, where he still remains. Doctor
Harless established the drug store at Clothier and one at
Madison, both of which he still owns and keeps under his
personal supervision, although he has a registered pharma-
cist at each one. He took up post-graduate work in 1913
at the Post-Graduate School of New York City, and keeps
abreast of the progress made in his profession by reading
and study. For some time he has served as physician and
surgeon of the Buffalo-Thacker Coal Company at Ottawa,
West Virginia, and is also a C. & O. Railway surgeon.

In 1914 Doctor Harless married in Mason County Miss
Lucetta Kay, a daughter of John and Elsie Kay. Mr. Kay
is a native of Scotland, and his wife was born in Pennsyl-
vania. In early life he was engaged in the coal business,
but is now a farmer. Doctor and Mrs. Harless have one
daughter, Eleanor. They belong to the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, and take an active part in the work
of the various church organizations. Fraternally Doctor
Harless maintains membership with the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks. He is a strong republican, but
has not cared to come before the people as an office seeker.

Ever since he located at Clothier Doctor Harless has
played an important part in its life. His drug store is one
of the best-conducted in this part of the county, and he
takes pride in it and the one at Madison. As a physician
and surgeon he has won the approval of his professional
associates as well as the affection and gratitude of his pa-
tients, and his practice shows a large increase annually.
While he has not been an official, he has not spared himself
in working for the good of the city, but cheerfully ren-
dered a valuable service whenever it was needed, and is
especially zealous in forwarding those measures designed
to improve the sanitation of the city and county. Person-
ally he is very popular, and has friends all over this part
of the state.